THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 25, 1995 TAG: 9501240093
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Salem High School students gave Fourth Precinct police officers a big ``thank you'' last week for ``just being there for us,'' and Bayside civic leaders and merchants expressed their appreciation to the Third Precinct by donating a patrol bike.
The separate actions were the result of the city's new Community Policing Program, which emphasizes increased police involvement in neighborhood civic and school activities, said Capt. M.E. Beane, Fourth Police Precinct commander.
Beane and a handful of other precinct officers were on hand at Salem High School last Wednesday afternoon to accept a ``thank you for keeping us safe'' banner signed by scores of students.
On Friday, the Third Precinct Citizens Advisory Committee and the Haygood Merchants Association donated a $600 mountain bike to the Third Precinct to help patrol four ``target neighborhoods.''
The bike is the fifth to be donated to the precinct, said Sgt. A.M. Zito, head of the precinct's community policing program. ``We hope to get two more,'' he said. ``They'll help us cover a lot of ground quietly.''
The Salem High School banner, ``a bed sheet with a lot of names of on it,'' now hangs in Capt. Beane's Fourth Precinct office in Kempsville.
The student project was organized by the school's Student Cooperative Association, said faculty sponsors Nancy Moskway and Susan Kary.
It was done at the suggestion of another Salem teacher, Jim Maxie, said Moskway. ``He said the Fourth Precinct officers have always been there for us, whether it's extra-curricular activities, student dances or whatever,'' she added. ``I think it meant a great deal to them. I think anytime teenagers do something positive, they should get recognition for it.''
Beane said his officers have tried to maintain daily rapport with Salem students and residents of the surrounding communities.
As a result, police have nabbed several guns transported onto school grounds by teenagers - not always Salem students - in the past two years. Their efforts to crack down on truancy have resulted in a considerable drop in daytime residential burglaries in those same communities, Beane said.
Precinct officers have been maintaining daily contact with Kempsville middle and elementary schools under various other programs designed to keep tabs on the concerns of educators and residents.
For instance, said Beane, at Parkway, Glenwood and Windsor Oaks elementary schools, officers have started an ``elementary pal'' program.
Police assigned to those communities have started an after-school tutoring program for at-risk pupils, using faculty volunteers to help with additional instruction.
``After they're finished with their lessons, three police officers take the kids over to Kempsville Recreation Center for an hour of recreation, then transport them home,'' said Beane.
``We're trying to reach out to address some of the problems that are occurring.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Officers G.W. Garrett, T.C. Hall and M.A. Zito show off the new
mountain bike donated by the 3rd Precinct Citizens Advistory
Committee. The bike was presented by George T. Balzer, left, vice
chairman of the committee; and Trey Hannah, right, president of the
Haygood Merchants Association.
by CNB